Seaming head for can machinery



Apr. 3, 1923. 1,450,418. H. L. GUENTHER- v SEAMING HEAD FOR CAN MACHINERY.

FILED DEC. 21,1921. 3 SHEETS-SHEET Ine/enior HLfi'ueni/wr CZV (M flzfiorngey 'Apr. 3, 1923.

H- L. GUENTHER.

SEAMING HEAD FOR CAN MACHINERY.

FILED DEC-21,1921.

I2zve2ui2r 11. L Eueni/zer -CZ. c M

fli ivrny Apr. 3, 1923.

' H. L. GUENTHER.

SEAMING HEAD FOR CAN MACHINERY.

a SHEETS-SHEET a.

FILED 056.21.1921.

1%7/894Lfi) EL. fluentker WL, (21M Patented Apr. 3, 1923.

u rrao sr HENRY L. GUENTHER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SEAMING HEAD ron CAN MACHINERY.

Application filed December 21, 1921. Serial No. 523,823.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY L. GUENTHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in SeamingHeads for Can Machinery, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to can capping machines and particularly pertains to improvements in seaming heads of the type used in my machine disclosed in a co-pending application entitled Double seaming machine and filed concurrently herewith, Serial No.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a seaming head adapted to be used in performing the first operation of a double seam between the body and cap of a can, said head being decidedly compact in its construction and so designed as to readily lend it for use upon a multiple spinwhich dle rotary turret machine.

. The present invention contemplates the use of a central, vertical, spindle upon which a rotary seaming turret is mounted and also a rotary can support, both of said members being designed to accommodate a plurality .of cans; said rotary seamin structure comprising a plurality of paraliil spindles spaced equidistant relative to eachother and each equipped with set of seaming rollers which may be automatically moved toward and away from the periphery of a can body.

The inventlon is illustrated. by way of example in the accompanying drawings in Figure l is a view in central'vertical section, through the seaming turret with which the present invention is concerned.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in plan showmg a portion of a double seaming machine and more particularly disclosing the construction and arrangement of my seaming head.

Fig. 3 1s a fragmentary view in plan through the turret, as seen on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. X

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 10 indicates a central spindle. This spindle is suitably housed in a base structure 11 and a super-frame 12. The spindle carries a sleeve 13, upon which sleeve the various rotary elements of the present invention are mounted, it being understood that the spindle is, merely used as a central arbor for the sleeve and as a driving means for the various elements of the device. Mounted at the lower end of the spindle 10 is a driving gear 14. This gear imparts rotary motion to the spindle which is transferred by a gear 15 to a plurality of spur-gears 16. The gear 15 is mounted near the upper end of the spindle and above the multiple seaming head '17.- This seaming head comprises a spider.18 having four vertical bearings 19, (it will be understood that any other.

number of bearings might be used ifdesired but for convenience four has been found satisfactory). These bearings" serve as rotary support for sleeve 20. The'sleeve extends downwardly and carries sliding cones 21 used for a purpose whichwill be hereinafter described.

Extending through the sleeve 20 are shafts 22. These shafts carry pressure plates .23

at their lower ends and sleeve 20 at their upper ends receive the spur-gears 16 by which the sleeve 20 is driven. The shafts '22 are hollow and receive a stripper-rod 24.

This rod carries a stripper-plate 25 at its lower end. It will be understood, that, as in most can heading machines, the member 23 and the plate 25 are adapted to rest down upon the cap while the plate 25 keeps within the annular recess formed in the top of'the cap. The stripper-rod 2 1 may be vertically reciprocated by the. action of a stripping roller 26 which is secured upon the frame structure12 and at the top of the machine.

Expansion springs 27 are provided to normally hold this rod in its uppermost posi. tion. annular groove 30, the upper ends of which grooves receive adjusting Washers 31. .The

washers are carried by screws 32 extending into the spider. The set screws 33 secure the shafts in position. Roller units are oar ried by the structure 19, and when the shafts 22 are vertically adjusted, the relation betweenthe seaming rollers and the lower flanged ends of the seaming pressure plates 23 will be changed. These units comprise a removable frame or cage 34 carrying bearing pins 35. The bearing pinsser geas pivotal mountings for roller levers 36. The upper ends of these levers are fitted with cam rollers 37, while the lower ends are provided with seaming rollers 38. Attention is directed to the fact that the cam rollers are disposed in longitudinal alignment with the levers 36, while the seaming rollers'are arranged transversely of the lower end thereof. The seaming rollers may be of any preferred design, although in the present instance they are formed with a central enlarged folder 39 having annular recesses at the opposite sides thereof, the lower-most recess occurring above an inverted frustoconical section 40.

The rollers 37 which are carried at the upper ends of the levers 36 rest against the tapered face of operating cones 21. These cones are vertically slidable along the sleeve 20 and are fitted with grooves around their upper ends to receive shifting yokes 42. The yokes 42 are secured to hubs 43 which are in turn pinned to operating shaft 44. The upper ends of these operating shafts are each fitted with a roller which rides along a cam track 45. This cam track is secured to the super-frame 12 and is fixed relative thereto. It will thus be evident that as the turret rotates around the cam track the rollers will move there-along and will cause reciprocation of operating shafts 44. This in turn will cause vertical movement in opposite direction of' the cone members 21, these members having a cone shaped roller face will wedge the levers 36 outwardly and will cause the seaming rolls 38 to be forced inwardly against the cans. It will be understood that springs 47 are provided to hold the upper free ends of the seaming levers 36 against the tapered face of the opera'ting cones 21. 1 7

Mounted on the lower end of the spindle 10 is the can turret 48. This turret comprises a central spider 49 which is secured to the sleeve 13 by aset bolt 50. The spider is formed with a plurality of parallel hubs 51 which agree in number and are in longitudinal alignment with the bearings 18 of the upper turret structure. Each of these hubs has a vertical bore to receive a sliding sleeve 52. These sleeves are provided with lower cross pins carrying rollers 54.at their inner ends. 1 Rollers extend into the groove of a lower track cam 55. This cam is fixed to'the bas e plate 11 and'is so designed as to produce reciprocation of the" sleeve members 52 when desired. The upper ends of each of the sleeve members are formed'with a central counter bore to receive a spindle 56. This spindle in each instance is threaded and extends upwardly through a cap 57 where it receives a can supporting plate 58. These plates are locked in position after having been adjusted on the screw portion by means of bolt 59. The lower ends of member 56 are slightly enlarged and are held by means of an adjusting nut 60. This nut is threaded into the upper end of the member 52. A counter bore 61 is formed in the lower end of the member 56- and receivesa compression spring 62.

feed member 68.

'71 shown in Figure 3.

This spring rests upon a plug 63 which is held against the screw by an adjusting bolt 64. The sleeve 52 is prevented from rotating by the use of a key 65 which permits the sleeve to slide vertically without turning.

Mounted upon the main drive sleeve 13 is a driving spider 66. This spider is formed with a plurality of arms 67 each carryinga These feed members are in alignment with the spindles of the turret and agree in number therewith. By reference to Figure 3 it will be seen that they are substantially semi-circular in formation and receive the can body. The contour of these members agrees with the circumferential face of the can bodies. Attention is particularly directed to a recess portion 69 formed at the upper end of each ofthese members. This portion holds the cap in alignment while it is forced upwardly into a bell shaped centering member 7 0.

The centering member 70 is'provided to insure "that the cap and can will be in alignment and that at the same time cans which are out of round will be re-shaped. This bell shaped member is formed with an outwardly flared lower lip and a circular recess into which the stripping plate 25 and the member 23 extend.

In operation of the present invention the cans are turned to-the first operation turret by any suitable means such as the feed spider The cans are successively delivered to the can supporting platform 58. At the instant of delivery the rollers 54 encounter a rise in the lower cam track 55. This forces the roller upwardly and lifts the corresponding sleeve 52 and the can supporting platform 58 and the can will then be projected upwardly with its associated track and into the bell member 70. Here the two elements will be held in proper relation to each other'and as the turret. continues to revolvethe shaft 44 of the respective spindle will be moved downwardly and willact through the cone member 21 to force the seaming rollers 38 inwardly. The seaming' rollers and their levers are. of course. rotating around the central vertical axis of the spindle and will thus cause the rollers to pursue a circular path of travel around the head of the can. As the cone 21 moves downwardly it will force these rollers inwardly and complete the first portion of a double seam. This operation continues while the can is'carried for substantially three quarters of the circumferential travel of the turret after which it is passed off of the platform 58 and onto a platform 72 where it ismO-Ved by a star wheel 73.

It willthus be seen that in the present .operation the can is substantially stationary while the rollers pass around it. This insures that the can will not slop and that the cap will be securely fixed thereupon without danger of displacement during the ing members and means for moving the rolloperation. ers toward and away from acan while the While I have shown the preferred form rollers are pursuing a circular course of of my invention as now known to me it will travel around the can. i

be understood'that various changes in the -5. Afirst operation turret for double seamconstruction, combination and arrangement ing machines comprising a plurality of can I- claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

of parts may be made by those skilled in the supporting platforms, means for'produci ng art without departing fromthe spirit of the vertical reciprocation thereof, a plurality" of invention as claimed. a can clamping members disposed thereabove Having thus described my invention, what and against-which the platforms hold cans and their caps, seaming rollers adapted to act against the circumferential edge of the 1. A seaming head for. can capping macan cap, a sleeve carrying said rollers, a pluchines comprising a can support, a rotary. rality of rotary centering members, means bell-shaped centering member adapte to for continuously driving said sleeve, and S" fit over the mouth of a Clan a d i s p. a means for automatically causing the rollers pressure member movable vertically inde-; to move toward andaway from the edge of p n y 0f the centering member d e the can'cap during predetermined intervals, ing against the face of the cap, seaming rollers adapted to form a. seam between the Cap seamingmachines comprising a plurality of 85 and can body, means for moving said rollers can supporting platforms, means for protoward and away from said can, and oper ducing vertical reciprocation thereof, a pluling.

ating means for causing the rollers to cir rality of rotary centering members adapted cumscribe the can. 0 to receive a can and its cap, a plurality of l. 2. In a can seaming machlne a turret havcan clamplng members disposed thereabove 0,

ing ve ti ally movable an ng, ph and held against rotary movement and forms, means for causing these platforms against Wl'llChs the platforms hold cans and to move along a circularcourse of travel, their caps, seaming rollers adapted to act automatic means for producing reciprocaagainst the circumferential edge of the can tion of the platforms at predetermined cap, a sleeve carrying said rollers, means for 95 points in its travel, a rotary bell-shaped cencontinuously driving said sleeve, means for tering member disposed above said support-Z automatically '-causing the rollers to move ing plate and adapted to receive a can body toward and away from the edge of the can and its cap as projected thereinto by the up? cap during predetermined intervals, and ward lifting action of the supporting meme means for automatically stripping the can her, a plurality of seaming rollers disposed ca s from the upper clamping means. i L around the top of the can, means for causing A first operation turret for double the rollers to automatically move toward seaming machines comprising a plurality of and away from the can as the can is carried can supportingw platforms, means for proalong its circular course of travel, and means ducing-vertical reciprocation thereof, a plufor causing the rollers to pursue a circular rality of rotary 'centering members, a'plucourse of travel around thecan while travelrality of can clamping, members disposed thereabove and held against rotary move- 3. A first operation turret for double seam ment and against. which the platforms hold ing machines comprising a supporting head ca-nsand their caps, seaming rollers adapted carrying a plurality of separately movable to act against the circumferential edge of can supporting platforms, a seaming head the can cap, a sleeve carrying said rollers, disposed thereabove and comprising a plu means for continuously driving said sleeve, rality of rotary centering members adapted means for automatically causing the rollers to receive cans and their caps, means coop-i to move toward and away'from the edge of c crating with the platforms and movable verthe can cap during predetermined intervals,

. atively tically independently of the centering memand adjustable means for regulating the bers to hold the cans and their caps in a relpressure of the platform and pressure plate fixed position, and seaming means against the opposite ends of the can. rotating around the cans during the rotation 8. A first operation turret for double of the turret. seaming machines comprising a continuiY'In a first operation turret for double ously rotating vertical driving member, a seaming machines, a can support, a seaming lower turret head fixed to said member, an head comprising a plurality of vertical upper turret head fixed to said member and spindles adapted to exert pressure against disposed in spaced relation to the lower head, the caps of .cans,a sleeve circumscribing said said lower head carrying a plurality of sepspindle means for continuously rotating the arate ,vertically movable, can supporting sleeve while travelling with the turret, a members, a track cam circumscribing the plurality of movable seaming rollers carried turret driving means, and operating means by the sleeve, a plurality of rotary center disposed between the several can supporting 6. A first operation turret for double members and the cam which produces vertical movement of said means, the upper head comprising a plurality of vertical spindles, seaming rollers thereon, means for continuously driving said spindles to cause the seaming rollers to pursue a circular course of travel around cans disposed upon the supporting members, means for automatically causing the rollers to move toward and away from the cans While travelling, a plurality of rotary clamping members and clamping means carried by the upper head cooperating with the supporting members to hold the cans 'in fixed relation thereto while the turret revolves.

A seaming head for can capping machines, comprising a can support, a rotary centering member adapted to fit over the mouth of a. can and its cap, seaming rollers rotating with the centering member to form a seam between the cap and the can body and means for clamping the cap of" the can including a pressure plate and a stripping plate movable vertically independently of the centering member.

10. A seaming head for can capping machines, comprising a can support, a rotary centering member adapted to fit over the mouth of a can and cap, seaming rollers adapted to form a seam between the cap and the can body, and a stripping plate movable vertically independently of the centering member.

HENRY L. GUENTHER. 

